There was another odd turn yesterday in the drama between Lubomir Visnovsky and the Islanders. The team bought a plane ticket for Visnovsky to return from Russia, yet the veteran defenseman did not get on the plane and left the team hanging once again.

This was only days after Visnovsky told the team he was choosing to stay in the Russia-based KHL for the season, breaking the NHL contract he was obligated to honor once the new collective bargaining agreement went into effect. That happened yesterday when the Players’ Association voted to pass the new agreement. Yet the 36-year-old was still in Russia.

* The Islanders said fifth-year forward Josh Bailey will miss 2-4 weeks because of a knee injury he sustained playing in Germany during the lockout. Bailey, 23, had the knee scoped on Wednesday.